First, let others tell their stories. Rather than plunging headlong into a recitation of the world from our perspective, we simply commit to listening to others first, curious about what leads them to their perspective.

One of the most valuable assets of curiosity is its ability to seek to understand another person -- fully and truly -- without judgment. I find that the most open and least judgmental people are curious.

Think about it. How often is the moment that you decide you've "blown it again" the very same moment you decide to go ahead and finish the bag of chips or the cookie dough or whatever it was you just got mad at yourself for eating?

Sometimes I think there are as many ways of describing mindfulness as there are brands of shampoo. This can be confusing. So we asked many of the experts we interviewed to put it in their own words. Here is what they told us.

Yes, we probably shouldn't all up and quit our jobs every few months. Probably not the best tactic. But there is absolutely no harm in exploring other curiosities. You may not be in your dream job, but you may not know what that next step may be just yet either.

We are smart enough. All of us. And we must remain curious and critical lifelong consumers of scientific information, equipped to make informed and responsible decisions that will affect the lives of our neighbors, our environment and ultimately, the whole world.

From Silicon Valley to Capitol Hill, experts warn that without continuous innovation, companies and even entire economies will fail. And in leadership circles, you're still thinking inside the box if you don't drop the word "innovation" at least once at a meeting.

We hear so much about respecting boundaries that we tend to forget there's a world of difference between violating them and simply testing them. Every breakthrough -- whether in science, in art or in a one-on-one relationship -- involves crossing a boundary. And not all boundaries are as hard to cross as they seem.

What factors influence our drive to persist? Perhaps instead of encouragement along the way, we're exposed to criticism that inhibits our progress. By contrast, an appreciative audience can spur us on like a favorable tail wind.

Curiosity is what drove me to learn more about the Little Free Library organization. And it's why my dad enjoyed the challenge of building the library. Curiosity is why we enjoy books, travels and stories from people we meet.